NFL: the best free agents of 2012

A record number of players have been franchise-tagged by their NFL teams to prevent them signing for rivals, but there is still plenty of talent in the free-agency market. We assess the players and their likely destinations

The NFL's free-agency market opens for business next week and a wide array of talent is up-for-grabs.

But first NFL teams had the opportunity to decide which players to keep out of that market: a record number of players - 21 - have been franchise-tagged by their teams to stop them joining rivals. The franchise tags - limited to one per team - prevents all-star players who have yet to agree to new contracts, such as New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice, from becoming free agents and joining rivals.

The list of players who were tied to their teams for another year by Monday's tagging deadline also includes: Atlanta Falcons cornerback Brent Grimes; defensive ends Cliff Avril of the Detroit Lions, Robert Mathis of the Indianapolis Colts and Calais Campbell of the Arizona Cardinals; Dallas Cowboys linebacker Anthony Spencer; Washington Redskins tight end Fred Davis; wide receivers Wes Welker of the New England Patriots, Dwayne Bowe of the Kansas City Chiefs and DeSean Jackson of the Philadelphia Eagles,; Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte; safeties Dashon Goldson of the San Francisco 49ers, Tyvon Branch of the Oakland Raiders and Michael Griffin of the Tennessee Titans; kickers Mike Nugent, of the Cincinnati Bengals, Connor Bath of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Phil Dawson of the Cleveland Browns, Matt Prater of the Denver Broncos and Josh Scobee of the Jacksonville Jaguars; and New York Giants punter Steve Weatherford.

Despite all of this activity, there is still an array of talented players available at the top of this year's free agent market, as well as a constant level of depth running through the group of roughly 600 players who don't have a contract.

Here is a list of the top players remaining ahead of the beginning of free agency on March 13 and where they may move to. (*Restricted Free Agents are not included in this list.)

1. Carl Nicks. Offensive Guard

2011 team: New Orleans Saints.Best fit for 2012: New Orleans Saints.Strengths: In one sense the Saints are lucky, they have a flurry of the best players available in this year's free agent market. At the same time they are unlucky: they have a flurry of the best players available in this year's free agent market. Carl Nicks isn't just the best guard available this year, he is the best player available after Drew Brees was removed from the equation. Furthermore, Nicks is the best guard in football and one of the best all-around offensive linemen. Nicks, and his teammate, Jahri Evans are generally considered the best tandem in the league. Most elite NFL guards excel at run blocking but don't quite reach the same heights as a pass blocker. Nicks is one of the select few who can consistently dominate the opposition in both facets of the game. At just 26 he is about to enter his prime.Weaknesses: The biggest issue is value. Few teams invest that much in NFL guards. Guards are not valued in the same way tackles or centers are because teams can somewhat cover guards' deficiencies with help from players around them. Centers have to set protections while tackles are asked to contain the best blitzers in the league on the outside. Nicks won't see things that way and has already stated that he wants to be paid more than teammate Jahri Evans who received a $56 million deal in 2010, which is now the second highest in football at the position.Few teams will be willing to commit that much money to a guard because few teams would make use of all of Nicks' skills the way the Saints do. Most teams are either primarily running teams or passing teams. Signing for one of them wouldn't allow Nicks to completely show off his talents.

2. Mario Williams. 4-3 Defensive End

2011 team: Houston Texans.Best fit for 2012: Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals defense was ranked in the top 10 last year under defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. Although they have an all-around team in terms of talent, they lack any marquee talent in the front seven. Adding Williams to Geno Atkins inside and potentially a fully fit Carlos Dunlap on the other side, would give the team one of the most dangerous defensive lines in football.Strengths: Williams is one of the best defensive ends in the NFL, but because of the Texans' scheme, he was asked to play linebacker last year before being injured. His strengths are such that he is suited to play with his hand in the ground on every play.At 6'6" and 280lbs, Williams can overpower opposing tackles in one on one situations. Williams is so big that he can often still be effective when double teamed, but he is also athletic and can use his speed and agility to beat blockers. Despite playing on a poor defense for most of his career, Williams was still a productive player in Houston.Weaknesses: After being selected first overall in 2006, ahead of Reggie Bush, Williams will not be cheap despite coming off a season ended prematurely through injury. Huge expectations will come with Williams wherever he signs which doesn't afford him any opportunity to adjust to a new team or deal with any carry overs from his injury. There have been some question marks over his consistency and commitment when playing the run, but we could chalk those down to nitpicking from those who must find flaws where they often don't exist.

3. Vincent Jackson. Wide Receiver

2011 team: San Diego Chargers.Best fit for 2012: Tennessee Titans. The Titans don't know what to expect from Kenny Britt after tearing his ACL last season, while they need to build the offense for Jake Locker in the future. Locker has a huge arm, therefore bringing in Jackson, who is great at beating defenders deep. He, Nate Washington and Kenny Britt would give the Titans an offense similar to the Chargers' who love big receivers who excel deep.Strengths: Jackson's biggest strength is just that, his strength. Along with Stevie Johnson, Dez Bryant and Larry Fitzgerald, Jackson has the strongest upper body of any receiver in the NFL. Upper body strength is often overlooked because of the pass interference rules at the professional level of football, however it is vital for gaining position on the football and adjusting to make receptions in difficult situations. During his time in San Diego, Jackson may not have been the best of route runners, but he always had the ability to take the top off defenses with his speed and was almost impossible to cover with just one defender. Even with his size, he still has the speed to get downfield faster than most defensive backs. That is a vicious combination for any player to have. While solid receivers are easy enough to find, signing a receiver that changes the way opposing defenses approach the game is a huge coup.Weaknesses:Off-the-field problems are evident in Jackson's past but plenty of NFL receivers have had these sort of issues: worse is that Jackson's last problem came during a playofff run. Jackson, who is now 29, has been determined to get a big contract in free agency. Whoever lands him will need a strong coaching staff and plenty of locker-room leadership.

4. Matt Flynn. Quarterback

2011 team: Green Bay Packers.Best fit for 2012: Miami Dolphins. With Flynn's QB coach from Green Bay becoming the Miami Dolphins' head coach, you can expect the Dolphins to be high on Flynn's list of potential suitors. Given the hype surrounding Flynn, going to a team where he would have to compete for the job would likely work in his favour. Matt Moore is capable of starting for the Dolphins so Flynn would have to earn his position.Strengths: Judging Flynn isn't easy because he has only two career starts. On his first Flynn displayed none of the nerves and uncertainty that most first timers are prone to. Flynn did his best Aaron Rodgers impression showing off a strong arm, good pocket awareness and consistent accuracy. His biggest mistake that night was a rookie one when he failed to get the final play in on time with the game on the line which led to a sack. In his second start, Flynn picked apart the Detroit Lions' defense for an unbelievable 480 yards, a Green Bay Packers' record surpassing Brett Favre, Bart Starr and Aaron Rodgers. It is on those two performances that he must be judged.Weaknesses: Only as a quarterback would a player with two professional starts receive such attention in the NFL. Flynn's small sample size may be overwhelmingly impressive, but it remains a small sample.

5. Cortland Finnegan. Corner Back

2011 team: Tennessee Titans.Best fit for 2012: Tennessee Titans.Strengths: Finnegan showed last season that his talent can trump his reputation playing to a Pro Bowl level. His aggressive nature has boiled over on occasion and hurt his team with personal foul penalties, however last year he showed a previously unseen level of maturity as a team captain. Finnegan is an aggressive tackler who plays well in tight coverage or dropping into zone. As a veteran there is nothing in this league that he hasn't seen and handled.Weaknesses: He is not the biggest of corners and can be exposed against bigger receivers in jump-ball situations while his reputation around the league can see him penalized more often than other players. Signing Finnegan isn't necessarily a risk to your team chemistry, but it does bring another character into the locker-room which can cause unpredictable changes.

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6. Ben Grubbs. Offensive Guard

2011 team: Baltimore Ravens.Best fit for 2012: Seattle Seahawks. Tom Cable, the offensive line coach in Seattle, loves big grafting run blockers like Grubbs. Adding Grubbs would finish off an offensive line which has been completely rebuilt. He and Robert Gallery blowing open holes for Marshawn Lynch would be a winning formula in the NFC West.Strengths: Grubbs is one of the better run-blocking offensive linemen in the NFL. He has been a starter in Baltimore since his rookie season in 2007 and, along with Marshal Yanda, has been a big reason for Ray Rice's success with the Ravens. At 27 he has just entered his prime, he is durable, big and athletic without being a liability as a pass protector. While he may not be as good as Carl Nicks, his versatility and all-around game would make him a valuable addition to almost any NFL offensive line.Weaknesses: Grubbs will be looking for a lot of money. Despite being very good, is he elite? Grubbs is in a typical position where a player can take a lot of money to play with a lesser team. It will be difficult for a contender to sign him at a reasonable rate.

7. Marques Colston. Wide Receiver

2011 team: New Orleans Saints.Best fit for 2012: Minnesota Vikings. Colston won't get the biggest deal of the receivers in free agency this year but he could represent the best value. Many will overlook his achievements in New Orleans because of the high-powered offense which he was a part of - however he was the team's best wide receiver.Strengths: Colston is a rangy receiver with reliable speed who can beat opposing teams' best cover cornerbacks. Unlike most bigger receivers, Colston can run a variety of routes and is more of an all-around receiver than say a Dwayne Bowe or Stevie Johnson. His ability to be a possession receiver or big play option makes him invaluable to any receiver-needy offenses. He has eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in five of his first six seasons and isn't limited in the ways which he can gain separation from defenders whether it be through straight line speed or shiftiness inside. In New Orleans he showed reliable hands and a consistency in finding the endzone. Despite never starting a full season, Colston had 48 touchdown receptions for the Saints in six years. In Minnesota, alongside Percy Harvin, that streak could easily continue.Weaknesses: Much of Colston's success has come on turf in a dome. Being signed by a cold-weather team could reduce his effectiveness. Colston is not a receiver who will scare opposing defenses to the point where they send extra coverage his way.

8. LaRon Landry. Strong Safety

2011 team: Washington Redskins.Best fit for 2012: Washington Redskins.Strengths: Landry is one of those physical specimens at safety in the mould of Troy Polamalu and Adrian Wilson. His ability to cover a huge amount of ground makes him invaluable against both the run and the pass. Even when reacting to plays rather than anticipating them, Landry is able to make an impact with his presence. His potential is endless and, to an extent, untapped.Weaknesses: A combination of being injured the past two seasons and the Redskins' overall quality of defense prior to then has curtailed the impact that Landry has been able to make so far in his NFL career. Essentially you would be investing in potential opposed to performance. For this reason, he is most likely going to re-sign with the Redskins where Jim Haslett can make best use of his talents. Whether he has hurt or helped himself by bulking up so dramatically this off-season will also be a worry.

9. Brandon Carr. Cornerback

2011 team: Kansas City Chiefs.Best fit for 2012: Dallas Cowboys. Terrence Newman is expected to be a cap casualty while Orlando Scandrick remains an unproven commodity as a starter. Mike Jenkins inconsistency continued last season while the Cowboys' secondary as a whole needs to be upgraded. Carr would have been certain to return to Kansas City prior to the team signing Stanford Routt.Strengths: There is a lot of talk about Brandon Carr being a product of a system. That reference is to the fact that the Chiefs play their corners in press coverage more often than not. Finding corners good in press coverage is very difficult. He has a skill-set which is rare in today's NFL and as such, he will likely be one of the more sought-after players come free agency.Carr is not a number one corner on a good defense. However he is an above average second starter who is entering the prime of his career. Whatever team adds him will be able to get his best years out of him.Weaknesses: Before last year Carr didn't come up with many turnovers. Even last season he only had four interceptions. Because of the way he plays the game, interceptions aren't going to be a regular occurrence as he instead prevents the opposition's receivers from catching the ball. For some franchises that is a negative, however some wouldn't even call that a weakness.

10. Jared Gaither. Offensive tackle

2011 team: Oakland Raiders/Kansas City Chiefs/San Diego Chargers.Best fit for 2012: San Diego Chargers.Strengths: Last season, Gaither wasn't re-signed by the Baltimore Ravens before losing out on a roster spot in Oakland with the Raiders. He was infamously cut by the Kansas City Chiefs after false starting on one of his few snaps. He then landed with the Chargers and, statistically, was one of the best left tackles in the NFL last year. Gaither has the bulk to withstand bull rushers from bigger pass-rushers, while his nimble feet and good balance lets him keep his body between blitzers and his quarterback. He is rarely ever beaten off the snap and also excels as a run-blocker. Despite being in the NFL for a long time, he is yet to enter the prime of his career at only 25 years old. Left tackles with elite talent are not easy to find, it is why players like Joe Thomas, Jake Long and Ryan Clady were all drafted so high out of college. Picking up one with potentially his best years ahead of him, without breaking the bank, would be a huge pickup for most teams.Weaknesses: Injuries: He has suffered many of them during his NFL career including a back injury which cost him the whole of his 2010 season. When he has been on the field he has been an elite performer. Even James Harrison in his prime became a victim of Gaither's when he was in Baltimore. Very few tackles can say that. He is certainly a risk, but the possible reward is huge.

11. John Abraham. Defensive end

2011 team: Atlanta Falcons.Best fit for 2012: New Orleans Saints. At 34 years of age, Abraham needs to give himself the best opportunity to win a Super Bowl before retiring. He has been paid handsomely throughout his career as an Atlanta Falcon but it is time for him to give himself the best opportunity to win in the playoffs which he can't do in Atlanta. Abraham would be the perfect starter to take the place of Cameron Jordan while also teaching him for the future.Strengths: Abraham has been a star pass-rusher in Atlanta for years without much help. He is proven against double teams and has all the physical tools required. With 112 sacks in 12 NFL seasons, and most recently 9.5 last year, Abraham's experience is also invaluable to whatever team signs him. Despite being an older player, Abraham won't have to be a situational pass-rusher similar to Jason Taylor over the past few years. Abraham is dominant against both the run and the pass who requires double teams in order to be contained.Weaknesses: Whoever signs Abraham will have to understand that he is only a short-term option. The threat remains that he could struggle to adapt to a new team after so long with the Falcons while the risk of age getting the better of him is always a worry. Whether it was because of the lack of quality around him or not, Abraham was never really capable of taking over games against better teams in big situations. As a role player on a better team, he should flourish.

12. Stephen Tulloch. Linebacker

2011 team: Detroit Lions.Best fit for 2012: Detroit Lions.Strengths: The Lions signed Tulloch despite having a reputation for being just a tackler. In Detroit, Tulloch proved himself to be a playmaker with three sacks and two interceptions from the middle linebacker position. Tulloch is an athletic player with the ability to cover the middle of the field in the passing game as well as plug the running game. At 27 he is at the prime of his career and has a huge amount of experience with nearly 400 tackles in the last three seasons. Tulloch sweeps up attackers and is always around the football on the field.Weaknesses: Despite having 568 career tackles, Tulloch has never forced a fumble. His production last year was huge compared to the previous five seasons in Tennessee with the Titans. Prior to last season, Tulloch had one interception and 4.5 sacks. Whether last season was Tulloch's breakout year or just a one off is yet to be determined. If it is a breakout season, the ceiling isn't that high, if it's not, investing in Tulloch is a risk.

13. Curtis Lofton. Linebacker

2011 team: Atlanta Falcons.Best fit for 2012: Atlanta Falcons.Strengths: The Atlanta Falcons rush defense has been ranked in the top 10 for the past three seasons: Curtis Lofton is a big reason for that. Lofton, who has been a starter in Atlanta for four seasons, is a strong run defender with the ability to not only rack up the tackles, but also shut down runners before they even get to the line of scrimmage. He is built like a bowling ball which allows him to burst through offensive linemen to make plays all over the field. His strength and low center of gravity makes him a bullish tackler who rarely lets his target free.Weaknesses: As good as Lofton is against the run, he is a limited coverage linebacker. While dominating opposing team's running games, Lofton can often be exposed in coverage whether it be zone or man assignments. The same height that helps him shut down the running game hinders him in space with receivers and tight ends.

14. Paul Soliai. Nose tackle

2011 team: Miami Dolphins.Best fit for 2012: Kansas City Chiefs. Soliai won't be returning to Miami with the Dolphins as they transition away from the 3-4 defense. Instead, he would be a perfect fit for Kansas City who can't rely on Kelly Gregg to be the team's nose tackle next year. The Chiefs ranked 26th against the run last year, bringing in a specialist run stuffer cannot hurt them.Strengths: Soliai is a specialist run stuffer who was important enough to the Miami Dolphins' 3-4 scheme that they franchise tagged him prior to last season. At 355 lbs, he consumes a huge amount of space and has the bulk to entertain more than one gap responsibility. At 28 years old, Soliai is in his prime with plenty of quality snaps left in the tank. He is one of those players who receives no credit but goes about his job quietly and effectively.Weaknesses: As a specialist run stuffer, Soliai offers nothing in the passing game. He is a two down defender who must come out in passing situations because of his inability to move in space. He has two career sacks in five years, both coming in 2010. Soliai is great at what he does, but what he does is limited to one aspect of playing football.

15. Carlos Rogers. Cornerback

2011 team: San Francisco 49ers.Best fit for 2012: San Francisco 49ers.Strengths: Rogers was a free agent last season who didn't exactly get the big deal he was hoping for. However once signed, he proved himself worthy of big money with a stellar season. During his time in Washington, Rogers had a reputation for dropping footballs. That wasn't the case in SF last year as he showed great awareness and hands picking off six passes, returning one for a touchdown. Rogers is a solid tackler with the ability to stick to receivers. His toughness and strength is above average in comparison to most players at his position.Weaknesses: Rogers is essentially a one year wonder. He had some solid campaigns with the Redskins but never reached the levels of 2011. At 30 years of age, it is difficult to commit a lot of money to a cornerback who has only had one truly impact full season. Returning to San Francisco to familiar surroundings at least removes some of the risk of signing with another team.

Which teams will invest in free agents

Many teams won't have the opportunity to sign those players, but there are a few who are expected to be big spenders in free agency, much like the Philadelphia Eagles were last year. After last year's lockout, the NFL created a new collective bargaining agreement: One major difference to this agreement allows NFL teams to carry over cap room from previous seasons.

While this year's cap number is as of yet unknown, last year's was $120 million. Therefore, under the new rules, teams were able to bring over whatever the difference was between their actual spending and the $120 million mark. Therefore, for a team like the Jacksonville Jaguars, who finished last season with $31 million of space, their cap space is bloated this year into $45 million. Teams such as the Jaguars have so much cap space because they lack talent on their roster. Those teams are looking to bring in stars to revitalize the franchise whereas others are just looking to take the next step, whether that become a playoff team or a Super Bowl contender.

This year, there are a few teams who have a huge amount of money to spend with an abundance of talent already on the roster. Those are the teams who should be the biggest players in free agency. The Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals have roughly $60 million apiece to spend with very few holes to fill on their roster.

While those teams can afford to chase the big names listed above, most of the better teams in the league will be hoping to unearth overlooked stars for less money. Stephen Tulloch and Carlos Rogers are perfect examples of players who were diamonds snatched from the rough last year. Both players are free agents again this year but won't be overlooked after stellar campaigns in 2011.There are plenty of other players whose talents will be overlooked for various reasons this year however:

Under-appreciated

Kyle Orton:Best known for being the other quarterback in the Jay Cutler trade from Denver to Chicago. Then he became infamous for starting ahead of Tim Tebow. Lost in all the media hype surrounding Tebow, is the fact that Kyle Orton was a good starter in Denver: throwing for 49 touchdowns to 28 interceptions. Those who knock Orton often claim that he is not a winner. The reality is that Orton did enough on offense to win plenty of games in the NFL. The difference between his Broncos' team and Tim Tebow's was the rejuvenation of the team's defense. Orton is by no means an elite quarterback, but in the right system he can be a better than average starter. Orton's arm strength isn't overwhelming but his accuracy and consistency makes him very valuable for teams looking to run some version of the west coast offense.

Robert Meachem:The New Orleans Saints have a very deep receiving corp which allowed Drew Brees to break Dan Marino's record for passing yards last season. With Devery Henderson, Marques Colston and Lance Moore all playing prominent roles, Meachem is generally the receiver who is overlooked when recognition is being handed out. Meachem has benefited from playing with a lot of talent in a very good offense, however his production has also suffered from that because he hasn't had the opportunity to be a full-time starter or even be a bigger piece of an offense. He hasn't shown flashes of being a number one receiver, but he could be a reliable second choice or even a third choice receiver in another situation. Meachem has tallied at least 40 receptions in each of the past three seasons for over 1,900 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Jason Snelling: It's possible, at this point in their respective careers, that Jason Snelling is actually a better back than Michael Turner. Snelling is a career backup who has seen the field on a regular basis as a third down back in recent years. Unlike most third down backs, Snelling is a big bodied back who runs hard whether it be between the tackles or to the outside. His aggressive running style allows him to punish defenders. Snelling will be signed for very little money but will arrive with the freshness and motivation of a rookie.

Eddie Royal:A combination of injuries and Tim Tebow rendered Royal irrelevant last season. Royal is a possession receiver who excels at picking up yardage across the middle or with quick out routes. He isn't a home run hitter but does have the capabilities of breaking free. Royal's rookie season saw him put up over 90 receptions and 900 yards. Ever since Jay Cutler left Denver in 2008, Royal hasn't had the pieces around him to flourish. Tim Tebow's accuracy, or lack thereof, prevents him from finding Royal where he excels, while Josh McDaniels' offense was better suited to the skills of Jabarr Gaffney and Brandon Lloyd. Much like Wes Welker, Royal excels at finding the soft spots in zone coverage and beating defenders on short or intermediate routes. Also like Welker, Royal's production would likely explode in a better system.

Martellus Bennett:Jason Witten is one of the best tight ends in the NFL as he excels as both a pass catcher and run blocker. Bennett is his backup who is not as talented a receiver, but may potentially be a better blocker. At only 24, Bennett already has a lot of NFL experience without being a starter. His ability as a receiver isn't overwhelming but he is not as inept as his statistics indicate. Bennett has never eclipsed 300 yards receiving in a season. As far as a blocking tight end, there are few better, and he can still grow as a receiver. He has the talent to be a two way tight end, but will be lost in Dallas behind Witten as well as the team's talented receivers. Bennett could be a lot better as a more prominent figure in any offense.

Dwight Lowery:Lowery, who the Jacksonville Jaguars traded for prior to last season from the New York Jets, was missed in New York last year as the team's hybrid third safety and slot cornerback. He may not be good enough to be a starter, but Lowery can contribute a huge amount to any defense. Because of his versatility, he can play multiple positions on the field while being very valuable on nickel and dime defenses ie pass defenses. Lowery was part of a better-than-you-would-think defense in Jacksonville last year while the Jets missed his presence. Even if he is not a turnover machine or shut down cornerback, Lowery is one of those vital players which every team that hopes to compete for Super Bowls needs. He is an excellent role player.

Lee Evans: Lots of people wrote off Lee Evans as being old, slow and over the hill after his now infamous drop in the AFC Championship game against the New England Patriots. Sometimes however, we make the mistake of letting one moment define a player. Evans didn't have any sort of impact in the regular season to stave off the doubters and was subsequently released. However, Evans' season wasn't as bad as it initially appears. One thing for certain is that his physical skills are still there. The 30-year-old receiver was traded for by the Ravens prior to the season but was injured early in the year which prevented him from adjusting to his new team. After spending so long with one team, that was vital for him. Once he returned to the team, in Week 11, he had already lost his place in the offense because he had fallen too far behind in team chemistry. Because his physical skills are still there, Evans is definitely worth signing and has potential to be a starting receiver still. One season doesn't make a career. One drop definitely doesn't.

Terrell Thomas:Entering last season, I wrote that the New York Giants had the deepest secondary in the NFL, that depth was tested instantly with the loss of one of their starting cornerbacks for the duration. Terrell Thomas and Corey Webster were fantastic as a starting pairing in 2010, with Thomas getting a lot of praise for leading the team in tackles, having five interceptions and forcing four fumbles. The 27-year-old won't receive as much attention as he would if he was fully healthy but on sheer talent alone he is worth gambling on in free agency. Fortunately for him, he should be fully recovered well before the start of next season in order to attract potential suitors.

Notable Restricted Free Agents.

There are two types of free agent in the NFL. Those listed above are unrestricted free agents. Unrestricted free agents have the right to talk to any teams once free agency begins and can leave their old teams without any consequences. There are also restricted free agents who must act under certain rules. If a restricted free agent signs elsewhere, then his previous team is entitled to compensation which comes in the form of draft picks.

After Arian Foster was signed to a long-term deal, Mike Wallace is the only elite restricted free agent available. Wallace faces an interesting off-season as the Pittsburgh Steelers cannot afford to franchsie tag him. Instead, Wallace is a free agent who can only be signed if another team outbids the Steelers and agrees to give them compensation in the form of a first round draft pick in the 2012 draft. For teams picking later in the first round, such as the New England Patriots, Wallace is a realistic target.

The Baltimore Ravens Lardarius Webb faces a similar situation with any teams who need a cornerback, but he is less likely to be signed as he is not on Wallace's level.

Restricted free agents rarely change teams, but the possibility is there this season.

Free agency is generally one of the most exciting parts of the NFL calender. After the Philadelphia Eagles stole the imagination of everyone with their aggressive moves last year, before ultimately faltering during the actual season, there are plenty of teams who could take that ideology to another level. The Eagles may have failed to live up to their all-hype team tag, but that shouldn't scare teams away from making signings this year.